PICTURE OF WOONSOCKET,

OR

THE TRUTH IN ITS NUDITY;

TO WHICH ARE ADDED

TRANSLATIONS FROM THE BEST FRENCH, SPANISH AND
ITALIAN WRITERS.

BY THOMAS MAN,

PROFESSOR OF ELOQUENCE, MORAL PHILOSOPHY
AND THE LANGUAGES.

La giustizia è la base di tutte le virtù. La coscienza è potentissimo è
certissimo flagello di chi fa male.

Giucciardini.

PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR.

1835
EPR

THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. 1900.

ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE YEAR ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIVE,

BY THOMAS MAN,

IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE OF THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF RHODE-ISLAND.

TO MY PATRONS.

"Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ascalon." GENTLEMEN:

On my first subscription list, were enrolled the names of a number of sneaks-principally, however, confined to Smithfield, Wrentham and Diamond Hill Plains. Among the most distinguished for their high standing in rustic society, are the statesman of Smithfield, and the doctor on Diamon Hill Plains-the others being plebians, and of "the swinish multitude," I shall not now deign to notice, recalling to mind the observation of Sancho Panza to his master, "the more you stir it &c." On the present list, I have taken care to enroll the names of such as claim the title of men, and will maintain it by their conduct: but even you, gentlemen, I think it would not be amiss to remind you of the common true saying, that punctuality is the life of business-aware at the same time, however, that a word to the wise is sufficient. My barque is now on an ebb tide, but by your assistance, I hope to raise the wind, and get into a full sea; for "there is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at its flood leads on to fortune;" though my principal object in writing is to purge the noxious vapors from the moral atmosphere. My book I have entitled The Picture of Woonsocket," in gratitude for the

many favors which I have received in that place, having among others, after only about two months residence, by universal 'consent, received the "Freedom of that City" and as I have no other means of expressing my gratitude, being generally without money, and abhorring as I sincerely do, ingratitude-being considered among the ancients as the greatest of crimes; I now have the honor, and at the same time take the liberty, of dedicating this my work to the citizens of that place, which I hope may be to them an acceptable offering, as a "light to their path and a lamp to their feet," to guide them in the way of all righteousness.

As the subject would be too local and perhaps uninteresting to many of my readers, I have translated several pieces from the most celebrated French, Spanish and Italian authors, which I hope may meet with general approbation.

THE AUTHOR.

A SKETCH,-Byron.

"Honest-Honest Iago!

"If that thou be'st a devil, I cannot kill the."

Shakespeare.

Born in the garret, in the kitchen bred,
Promoted thence to deck her mistress' head;
Next-for some gracious service unexpressed,
And from its wages only to be guess'd-
Raised from the toilet to the table,—where
Her wondering betters wait behind her chair.
With eye unmoved, and forehead unabash'd,
She dines from off the plate she lately wash'd.
Quick with the tale, and ready with the lie-
The genial Confidante, and general spy-
Who could, ye gods! her next employment guess—
An only infant's earliest governess!

She taught the child to read, and taught so well,
That she herself, by teaching, learned to spell.
An adept next in penmanship she grows,
As many a nameless slander deftly shows:
What she had made the pupil of her art,

None know-but that high soul secured the heart,
And panted for the truth it could not hear,
With longing heart and undeluded ear.
Foil'd was perversion by that youthful mind,
Which Flattery fool'd not-Baseness could not blind
Deceit infect not-near Contagion soil—
Indulgence weaken-nor Example spoil-

Nor master'd science tempt her to look down—
On humbler talents with a pitying frown-
Nor Genius swell-nor Beauty render vain-

Nor Envy ruffle to retaliate pain—

Nor fortune change--Pride raise--nor Passion bow, Nor virtue teach austerity-till now.